Hind Rajab
2018 – 2024

The following timeline reconstructs the events surrounding Hind Rajab’s death based on PRCS records, family testimonies, and investigative journalism.

Sunday, 29 January 2024

• Morning Family Flees: Hind travels with her uncle (Bashar Hamada), his wife, and their four children — Layan (15), Raghad (9), Omar (6), and Jad (2) — in a black Kia car through Tel al-Hawa, Gaza City.
• ~2:00 PM Car Targeted: Israeli tanks open fire on the vehicle. All occupants are shot. Hind survives and calls for help.
• 2:30 PM First Emergency Call: Hind calls the PRCS emergency hotline. Dispatcher Rana Faqih answers and stays on the line for 3+ hours.
• 3:00 PM Layan Hamadeh Also Alive: Hind’s 15-year-old cousin Layan, who had run from the car earlier, also calls PRCS. She is heard saying: “They are shooting at us. The tank is right next to me.” Layan is later found dead.
• 5:30 PM Call Ends: The line goes silent. PRCS believes Hind has died or lost consciousness. The Israeli military prevents access to the area.

Monday, 30 January 2024

• Morning Ambulance Dispatched: After coordinating with Israeli authorities, PRCS sends an ambulance with paramedics Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun.
• ~11:00 AM Ambulance Targeted: The ambulance is fired upon by Israeli forces. Both paramedics are killed. The ambulance is destroyed.

1 February – 9 February 2024

• Ongoing Area Inaccessible: Israeli military operations continue in Tel al-Hawa. PRCS and family members are unable to reach the vehicle. International organizations call for access.

Saturday, 10 February 2024

• Morning Body Recovered: After Israeli forces withdraw from the area, PRCS and family members reach the car. Hind’s body is found inside, next to her deceased family members. The car is riddled with bullet holes.
• Afternoon Burial: Hind is buried in Gaza City. Her mother, Wissam Hamada, who had been waiting for news for 12 days, confirms her death.

The following is a partial transcript of the phone call between Hind Rajab and PRCS dispatcher Rana Faqih, based on PRCS records and media reports.

Key Exchanges

Rana Faqih’s Testimony

Dispatcher Rana Faqih later told Al Jazeera: “I could hear the fear in her voice. She was just a little girl. I tried everything to keep her calm. I promised her the ambulance was coming. But when the line went dead, I knew something terrible had happened. I couldn’t sleep for days after that call.”

Layan Hamadeh’s Call

Hind’s 15-year-old cousin Layan Hamadeh also called PRCS separately. She was heard saying: “They are shooting at us. The tank is right next to me.” Layan was later found dead near the car, having attempted to flee and seek help.

Hind Rajab’s story has been told through numerous documentaries, news features, and artistic tributes. Below are the most significant works dedicated to her memory.

Documentaries & Features

• “Hind Rajab: The Girl Who Begged for Her Life” — Al Jazeera Documentary (2024). In-depth investigation of the events of 29 January.
• “The Killing of Hind Rajab” — YouTube — Various Documentaries. Multiple independent documentaries on the case.
• BBC Newsnight Report — “Hind Rajab: The 5-year-old killed in Gaza” (February 2024).
• AJ+ Feature — “She begged for her life”. Short documentary widely shared on social media.
• TRT World — Extensive coverage and documentary content.

Short Films & Tributes

• “Hind’s Song” — Animated short film telling her story through illustrations.
• “For Hind” — Poetry performance by Palestinian artists dedicated to Hind Rajab.
• #HindRajab Challenge — Social media movement where people drew portraits of Hind to honor her memory.

News Features & Investigative Reports

• Forensic Architecture Investigation — Spatial analysis of the attack on Hind’s car.
• The Washington Post — Investigation into the events.
• The Guardian — “The last hours of Hind Rajab”.

The Hind Rajab Foundation was established in 2024 by Hind’s family and international supporters to keep her memory alive and seek justice for the children of Gaza. The foundation focuses on documentation, legal accountability, and humanitarian support for children affected by war.

Mission & Goals

• Justice: Pursue legal accountability for those responsible for Hind’s death and other atrocities against children in Gaza.
• Documentation: Record and preserve evidence of violations against Palestinian children.
• Humanitarian Support: Provide aid, medical care, and psychological support to children affected by the Gaza war.
• Education: Build schools and educational programs in Hind’s memory.
• Awareness: Raise global awareness about the impact of war on children.

Key Initiatives

• Hind Rajab Memorial Fund — Direct support for Gaza’s children.
• #JusticeForHind Campaign — International legal advocacy for accountability.
• Hind Rajab Scholarship — Educational scholarships for Palestinian girls.
• Children of Gaza Documentation Project — Recording testimonies and evidence.

How to Support

The foundation accepts donations, volunteers, and advocacy support. You can:

• Donate: Financial contributions to support children’s programs.
• Volunteer: Legal professionals, medical workers, and educators needed.
• Advocate: Share Hind’s story and demand accountability.
• Partner: NGOs and organizations can collaborate on humanitarian projects.

Hind Rajab’s death sparked global outrage and became a rallying cry for the movement against the war on Gaza. Her name has been invoked in protests, artistic tributes, and legal campaigns around the world.

Global Protests & Memorials

• Gaza: Hind’s funeral was attended by hundreds of mourners. Her grave has become a pilgrimage site.
• London: Thousands marched with posters bearing Hind’s face and her last words: “I’m so scared.”
• New York: Vigils held outside the UN headquarters demanding accountability.
• Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta: Mass rallies in Muslim-majority countries.
• Paris, Berlin, Madrid: European solidarity protests featured Hind’s story prominently.

Artistic Tributes

• Murals: Street art of Hind’s face appeared in cities worldwide — London, Dublin, Cape Town, Chicago.
• Poetry: Poets across the Arab world wrote elegies for Hind. The poem “For Hind” by Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer (himself martyred in December 2023) was widely shared.
• Music: Singer-songwriters released tribute songs. The Arabic lullaby “Ya Hind” went viral.
• Digital Art: The #DrawHind movement saw thousands of artists illustrate her portrait.

Legal & Political Impact

• ICC Evidence: Hind’s case was included in the ICC’s investigation into war crimes in Gaza.
• UN Statements: UN officials including the Secretary-General condemned the killing of children and called for investigations.
• Parliamentary Questions: Lawmakers in the UK, EU, and Canada raised Hind’s case in parliamentary debates.
• Hind Rajab Resolution: Several city councils passed resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Hind’s name.

Hind’s Legacy

Hind Rajab is no longer just a victim — she has become a symbol of the Palestinian child under occupation and war. Her name is spoken alongside the 17,000+ other children killed in Gaza. Her last words — “I’m so scared. Please come and get me.” — have become the most quoted phrase of the Gaza war, embodying the world’s failure to protect the innocent.

As the Hind Rajab Foundation states: “Hind’s voice was silenced, but her story will never be. She is the conscience of a world that failed her.”

A video report from TRT World about Hind Rajab’s final phone call and the events surrounding the desperate attempt to reach her.

Video credit: TRT World

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